Sandoval, Zito, Giants Overpower Tigers In Game One

Sandoval and the Giants struck early and often against Verlander

Pablo Sandoval became the fourth player to hit three home runs in a World Series game and the San Francisco Giants overpowered Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers 8-3 to win Game 1 of the World Series. Giants starter Barry Zito pitched into the sixth inning and allowed just one earned run while striking out three and walking one.

Tim Lincecum was brilliant in relief, pitching 2 1/3  perfect  innings and striking out five. Verlander threw 98 pitches in four innings of work allowing five earned runs on six hits. He struck out four

Sandoval joined a group of players that includes Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, an Albert Pujols after hitting his third consecutive home run in the fifth inning. Sandoval is the only one of the four to homer in his first three at-bats of the game.

After taking a 1-0 lead on Sandoval’s first homer in the first inning, the Giants struck again in the third on a base hit by NLCS MVP Marco Scutaro to score Angel Pagan. Sandoval then followed with his second home run of the game, a two run shot to left field. Zito singled Brandon Belt home in the fourth to make it 5-0, and Sandoval hit his third home run to make it 6-0 in the fifth inning.

Miguel Cabrera got the Tigers on the board with a base hit in the sixth to score Austin Jackson, but the Giants came right back in the seventh with RBI singles by Scutaro and Buster Posey. Jhonny Peralta hit a two run home run in the ninth inning to close the gap to 8-3. Jeremy Affeldt came in to get the 27th out to finish off the Tigers.

Game 2 is Thursday night, with Doug Fister starting for the Tigers against Madison Bumgarner.